Revenge
by MariskaMania
Summary: Revenge in it's truest form. Olivia and Elliot work with a criminal psychologist to find their mutilating murderer, but how do they convict a victim seeking revenge? Or will it even get to court?
1. Little cottage of horrors

A heart full of pain rippled up through Anya's body; her resentment building a crooked smile on her twisted face. Her pale skin and fierce green eyes fell upon her prey. She had stalked her vision for weeks, she knew everything she needed to know to make her move. She clung to the shadows, the hunted became the hunter as she crept through the greenery to the open window of the small British cottage. The thatched roof was old and had began to smell and decay, she wondered how many more people he was keeping in his fairytale cottage. How many more people had been lured to his Hansel and Gretel home?

She took a deep breath in, she exhaled all fear. Pushing herself up through the wooden window frame, she landed gracefully and silently. Closing the window behind her, she locked it; she heard his footsteps up above her head, the wooden floorboards creaked under his weight. They muffled out the cries, but she heard them loud and clear. She was prepared, she wore her heart on her sleeve and today, she would have her revenge.

Moving through the old, out of place home, she knew where she was going, she had lived here for seven years before he set her free. Walking up the old stairs, she remembered the eighth and eleventh step scream under her feet. She avoided them, clinging to the handrail she pulled herself up and over them. She saw the light under the doorway, he had company. That poor child, he had been hunting again, he found her replacement. She was crying, little sobs. She was expecting his next sentence, but had no idea how far thrown back she would be hearing them.

"The night will always win".

She twisted the round doorknob and pushed the door open, it swung heavily on it's hinges. He was there. Right there. Staring at her like a deer caught in unexpected headlights. His eyes frozen on hers. The cold silver hung at her side, gripped so tightly in her hands it could have cut right through her palm.

"Anya" he spoke with an uplifting tone, "It really has been too long". His voice sickened her, she looked deep into his grey, stone like eyes. "I want you to meet someone Anya" he said moving to one side showing a little girl laying on the bed, her eyes red and swollen. It was like watching a home movie from years ago. "This is Ava".

Anya's eyes didn't leave his, she walked towards to him as he gestured for her to come and say hello, "Put the knife down, come and say hello. You don't want to scare her do you?". Anya's legs walked, she couldn't stop herself, she didn't want to stop. Her thoughts stopped, her mind went blank as a predatory smile graced her lips.

"I don't want to scare her" she repeated, her tone was bleak, her eyes were hollow and stared right through him. She got to his side, her gaze burning in to his sick body of existence. "Untie her" she demanded.

"Anya, sweetheart, you know I'm not going to do that".

Her hand swept up his body so fast he had no time to react, her cold fingers around his neck, she dug her fingernails deep in to his skin. "I said, untie her. Now". For the first time in her life, she was in control, her nails doused in his blood.

He nodded, his shaky bloated body began fumbling over the knots entrapping Ava. The girl ran free within minutes, she stood behind Anya, gripping at her waist for protection. "Lay down" Anya commanded.

He laughed.

Anya lunged at him overpowering him for the first time, her body on his, he struggled but her adrenalin, her resentment, her revenge was in full swing. Ava ran out the room; too young to understand, but old enough to appreciate the woman's actions.

Anya plunged the knife deep in to the fat abyss of his stomach, he yelled in pain as his evil blood leaked out through the open wound. Her face was strangely calm, she gripped his face, his blood merging with her shirt, his fear emoting in his eyes as powerfully as she took life from him.

He begged. She laughed.

Dragging him to his feet, she pushed him on to the bed of pink pillows and fairy sheets. She drug deeply with the knife again, this time in his bicep of sag and stretched skin. He yelped as pain coursed through his being once more. She tied him with the same sailor knots he had tied her with for years. His arms first, then his feet, the wooden bed frame ached under his enormous weight. She watched as his face paled, and lips dried. She stood watching for a minute before sitting next to him, that same predatory smile found her again. Running the blade over his face, she watched as his blood coiled and spilled down his face; her eyes were as cold as his, she wanted her eyes to be the last he ever saw.

Getting up, she saw the 'Jar of Hearts' he kept on the top shelf, she knocked it to the floor watching it smash, glass shards glittered the floor. Pulling open his shirt, buttons flew in every direction, she watched as his torso shuddered with fear. She picked up a paper heart with a name on it, she placed it carefully on his body, she had planned this, this was calculated. Raising a piece of the broken glass high above her head, she submerged the glass through the heart, straight in to his skin. She leant in to him, whispering in his ear, "You will feel every inch of pain you made me suffer". She took all seven paper hearts and punctuated his body with them. Leaving her own paper heart till the very end, she placed it on his heart, and again, with all her force and ability, caused pain.

He was weak, docile and almost child like with his bloody vulnerability. She stared at him, leaning over his body as he shook, his eyes threatening death, pleading with the man upstairs, not now, please anything but this. But it was too late. Anya watched as his pupils dilated, she breathed a sigh of relief, then remembered one last thing she had to do. She had to stop him torturing anyone on the other side. Taking her knife, she blindly stabbed and slashed at his genitals.

The cottage she had once lived in, but never called home was trashed, photos of his victims were spread around the bed and his body, technology was broken, cameras were smashed, laptops were drowned in the bath tub. And last, a personal good bye, a frame photograph of Anya was thrown in to the open fire.

* * *

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Olivia and Elliot had never seen such a beautiful looking cottage set back off the road; the drive way was at least half a mile long. The small, cosy looking home sat alone, with tall trees in the garden, a vegetable patch was to the left of the stone walls and flower beds sat neatly under each window.

Both the detectives walked in to what looked like a cottage bomb had gone off. The inside didn't share the beauty the outside did. The chairs had been over turned; the television was facedown, the place looked like a pack of savage animals had done a number on it, then left.

"The body is upstairs" the officer said, he too was pale. He smelt of sick and had vomit splashed on his shoes.

"Thanks, you might want to clean yourself up" Elliot suggested.

The officer nodded and left immediately. He looked relieved to leave. Elliot and Olivia made their way upstairs carefully. CSU had markers on the stairs where blood had dropped. Avoiding it all, the detectives entered the room. Behind the blood, the body and sheer horror of the whole thing was a little girls bedroom. The walls were pink, fairies were stencilled on the walls, the curtains and bed spread matched perfectly.

"This is like falling in to a horror movie" Elliot stated.

"The little cottage of horrors" Olivia replied.

Doctor Warner was standing over the body, she looked at the detectives; "He has seven glass wounds to the chest, a deep laceration to the bicep, another to the stomach. He has a cut to the face, like someone ran a blade or possibly glass over his cheek".

Olivia looked at the man laying tied, his face mutilated by fear; "What makes him ours?".

"His genital region has been mutilated" Warner pulled his track pants down revealing what had been his penis.

Elliot put his hand over his mouth, "Jesus. That, that's overkill!".

Olivia tore her eyes off him long enough to ask for an ID. Nothing, he was John Doe. "What are the hearts about?" she asked.

Elliot looked also, Warner extracted one from his chest, "Anya" she read aloud.

"Do all the hearts have names on them?" Olivia asked, a puzzle fitting together in her head. Warner confirmed. "Have you heard the song Jar of Hearts?".

Elliot nodded, "My girls are obsessed with it".

"First theory" Olivia started, "A guy in a house, out of the way, segregated from the world has a kids room, with no kids. What if this is a revenge killing?".

Elliot was catching up, his though process completely in tune with Olivia's, "Someone comes in, ties him up in the bed they were kept in. Stabs him, and for every heart in that jar, they make him pay for it".

"Exactly, the overkill would suggest it's personal. What if it's one of these girls?" Olivia said referring to the names on the paper hearts.

"You really think a girl could overpower him?" Warner asked.

Before anyone could even think about an answer, a officer Spencer came in, he was older, never promoted, and when offered, declined. "Got an ID for you, this was Alec Henderson, owner of Henderson mechanics".

"Thanks" Elliot offered, he looked at the photos that surrounded Alec's corpse. They were all of girls, yet somehow had a formation. He picked up a set of photos, they had been strung together like a child's mobile that would hang over their crib at night. "Check this out" he said looking at Olivia. "If this is the same girl, we're looking at a guy who held these girls hostage for years".

"There are hundreds of photos, it's going to take a long time to get through all of them" Warner added.

Olivia looked at the girl in the photos Elliot was holding, it clicked. "That's Anya Norder. She went missing a few years ago. Her mom was convinced it was a creep that used to hang around the park. She was adamant when he turned up at her school".

"How old would she be now?".

"I'm not sure, about seventeen".

"Well, that's one suspect, now to name the rest" Elliot said.

An unyielding feeling of guilt crashed Olivia, shutting down every other emotion she had felt. Anya Norder was her case. She hadn't found her. She had been forgotten. Put on a shelf in cold cases and left to rot.


	2. Night Vs Day

As the heat of a New York morning gripped the streets, washing over it with a thickness and fear. The news had broken only a few hours before, Alec Henderson was dead. Found in his home, and sex crimes were leading the case. Rumours began unfolding as whispers travelled through the homes of the locals. The news hit one person harder than the rest. Anya. She sat in her home cradling her knees to her chest. She wasn't scared of being caught; she was nervous. She thought she'd have more time to rethink her position before his body was found. His life meant nothing to her, but at the same time, his life meant everything to her. He stole her life. Now she had stolen his.

A cluster of pain jolted and jabbed at the woman's body as his photo landed on the prime time news slot. The biggest story, and now he would be totally and utterly ruined world wide. Everyone would know his story, his history, his sickening habits. She felt a sense of pride knowing she had uncovered him; yet she knew she had lost herself to him so many times over, for so many years, his death wasn't enough. Sitting up, Anya ran a brush through her hair, put on her ripped jeans and white tank top. She tied a scruffy bow in to her black, tomb raider styled boots, grabbed her keys and phone and headed downstairs. Something caught her eye. Someone was sleeping on her couch. Ava.

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"Olivia, have you got the DNA results back yet?" Cragen asked as he walked from his office to her desk.

She shook her head, she was exhausted and had yet to sleep, "Not yet. CSU have hundreds of prints to go through and separate, the scene was like a hotel room. Prints, blood, semen. It's going to be a while before we get anything back".

"How are you for witnesses?".

"We have a couple of joggers, a dog walker and nosey neighbour; but the house was set off the main road and had plenty of tree coverage. Anyone could have got in and out without anyone seeing them".

"Hold that thought" Fin said entering the one six, "The guys at the lab couldn't get a match on this blood. It was found on the glass in Henderson's stomach. But they could tell me it's female".

"That all you got?" Cragen asked.

Fin shrugged, but Olivia's mind was working overtime; "No, that's good. Elliot and I were talking about it at the scene; it looks like a revenge killing".

"The guy weighed two hundred fifty pounds Liv, you really think one of the girls here are going to over power him, knock him down, get him on the bed, and tie him up? He'd fight back!".

"Not if she had a gun, we know she had a knife. We don't know his temperament, he could've been submissive when faced with a gun".

"Liv, he's a dominant. If your theory is right, and all the photos are girls he kept captive, then he's a cocky son ova bitch, but a smart one. He had these girls for years, and no one ever found him".

Olivia nodded softly, she looked at Fin as he spoke, she knew he was right, but it made no sense. If Alec was a dominant person, then how did he become the victim of someone else. A someone else that all the indicators pointed to a woman. Olivia needed a professional opinion, and since George had left, she knew who to call.

* * *

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"Thanks for coming on such short notice Laura".

Doctor Laura Reading of Mercy General Hospital had met Olivia a couple of years ago, their encounter wasn't pleasant; Olivia had kept in touch with Laura, who had left medical practice, to study criminal psychology. Laura had taken her exams, and was now a fully qualified criminal psychologist. The woman was shorter than Olivia, she stood at five foot four, she had long brown hair and deep intriguing brown eyes.

"No problem Liv. What've you got for me?".

"You've seen the news?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah" Laura replied.

"Alec Henderson".

Olivia had just picked Laura up from her small apartment in the city; they drove at speed to the crime scene. The traffic grew heavier the closer to Alec's house they got.

When they arrived, they saw three news station vans outside, reporters standing on the sidewalk with camera men lifting their equipment ready to put on a show for the morning news. As one of the stations went live, Jessica Reeves straightened her pale pink skirt suit. She flipped her blonde locks off her shoulder and began speaking.

"Thank you Kim, I am here at the home of Alec Henderson where his body was found only hours ago. Alec was the owner and founder of Henderson mechanics, the multi millionaire was an upstanding member of the community, he gave millions to charity every year, everyone here is shocked and saddened at this terrible news".

Olivia rolled her eyes, if only they knew what had really happened. Laura was fascinated by the stories the media spun, their own personal webs of deception and secrets, every reporter a spider working for the big boss. The public like flies, drawn in and tangled in a web of 'I tell you, you listen, it must be true. How terrible? Did you hear?'.

"It's crazy" Olivia spoke still watching the hungry, lion like reporters. Jessica's eyes fell upon Olivia, her lioness, huntress instinct cut in, she walked briskly over to Olivia and Laura and began introducing Olivia to the hypnotized public.

"Lead detective, Olivia Benson from the Special Victim's Unit has just arrived on scene, detective Benson, what can you tell us? Have you got any suspects yet?".

"I have nothing to say at this moment in time" Olivia bit back, fighting for her own territory. Her claws out, her mind sharp and ready to strike with words at any given point.

"Doctor Laura Reading" Jessica began, she'd done her homework, Laura wasn't expecting the whole nation to tune in to her. She was a shy woman, but had a bite to match her bark. "Why have you been brought to the crime scene? What do you think you have to offer the detectives?".

"Sorry, I have nothing to say to you right now".

Jessica didn't back down, she stalked the detective and criminal psychologist to the crime scene tape slinging questions at them as she walked. She was ignored, her prey too quick for her. She wasn't defeated just yet. She watched as Olivia and Laura began the long decent to the Hansel and Gretel cottage. Turning to face her camera man again, she smiled to her public, "You've seen it here first, NYPD have brought in specialist help to find their murderer". She composed herself beautifully, "That's all from me, Jessica Reeves, but as soon as I have anything else, you will too. Back to you Kim in the studio".

"Vultures" Olivia spat, her voice as crisp as the air around her.

"That reporter knows her stuff" Laura said speaking, her accent tinged slightly with a London twang. The woman had lived in New York for seventeen years now, and was very well respected, and established both in medicine and criminal psychology.

"Jessica Reeves is the biggest glory thief in the media world, a story will break, and she will dive in and steal as many facts as she can, and present them for her network. One tip, never talk to her. Not even on a friend to friend basis, because somewhere in that pretty blonde hair of hers will be a tape recorder".

Laura smiled slightly, she knew Olivia was serious, but mental images of Jessica Reeves, her blonde hair, her perfectly whitened smile and blue eyes flashed in to her mind. "Got cha".

The two women entered the crime scene, Henderson had no family, so the house was unclaimed and would soon be emptied of all possessions. CSU had printed everything; and taken anything that could hold DNA. As they braved the stairs, Laura felt a sickness flood her stomach, she didn't like the feeling she was getting from this deceiving cottage. It's outside beauty carefully hiding the devil's chamber that lay inside.

"This is the room I need you to concentrate on for now" Olivia said pushing open the bedroom door.

Pink walls standing childish and girly smiled brightly at the criminal psychologist; she entered with caution, CSU had taken the photos, the bed sheets, the glass and the hearts. Olivia came prepared with photos of the body and it's surroundings. Laura looked at them, her eyes scanning the room, her brain absorbing everything she saw.

Laura didn't know Olivia's theory, nor did she want to know. She knew the best way to make an accurate assumption, was to know as little as possible, then work with her own tools, to fully understand what had happened.

"First impressions" Laura began, "Is that this room was specifically designed to hold people in. The colours and furnishings suggest, this room has been used for years, and these things are representatives of the girls who have lived here" she shuffled around the room slightly, the carpet in places had been worn down to a flat slice. "The carpet is old, see under the vanity table, it's still fluffy, where as in the walkways, to the bed, the door, and the bathroom are not". She paused thinking for a moment, "Olivia, go in to the next room, I'm going to count to ten, then come back in".

Olivia didn't question Laura, she had some strange methods, but Laura was one of the best, even if her time in the business was shorter than others. Leaving the room, she went into the room next to the pink room and listened. Nothing. She waited for a minute, still nothing. Another minute. Again, she heard nothing. Her cell phone rang breaking the heavy silence; "Benson".

"Olivia it's me, did you hear me?" Laura's voice was satisfied with a knowing she was about to let Olivia into.

"No, nothing".

"These walls are sound proofed".

"No one heard the girls, even if they screamed, they wouldn't be heard".

Laura walked in to the bathroom, she looked around still on the phone to Olivia; "Is there a desk in the room you're in?".

Looking around the detective responded in the negative. "What about a closet?".

Again Olivia looked, she went into the closet, she moved the shirts and overalls out of the way, and there, through a glass panel, was Laura looking back at her. "Two way mirror" Olivia said, her heart jumped. He had imprisoned the girls, then watched them in the shower.

Olivia hung up the phone, and went back to the pink room. "A multi millionaire mechanic who abducts little girls, holds them captive, and is still put up on a pedestal in the public's eye".

"Isn't it always the case, that the people who do the most, are usually hiding the most" Laura said with a shy sadness in her voice.

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Anya had a new problem, Ava. She had completely forgotten that the young girl she saved from him, was still sleeping on her couch. Guilt swam freely up Anya's stomach in to her throat, she ran to the kitchen sink, acidic bile burning a path up through her body. She took the time to compose herself; she had to get this girl back to where she needed to be. Home, with her family. The young girl slept so peacefully, Anya wondered how long he'd had her for. Did he have time to let the night win? Had she stopped it? Staring at her reflection in the kitchen window, Anya's head filled with his voice.

_'The night will always win. For every day, there is a night that follows. For every ray of light, comes the dark. For me, there is only you'_.

She remembered how she'd fought his words. '_No! The light will always win! THE DAY WILL ALWAYS WIN_' she'd scream it in her head, she'd say it through her tears. The light will always win.

"For every night, a day will succeed it. I win" Anya's voice was back to it's emotionless self, she had won.


	3. Reading too deeply

Holding herself together, Anya pulled herself away from the kitchen window. She faced the small girl with a carving knife in her hand. Her mind was steady on one thought, holding on to it, keeping it close and secret. The blade pressed deep in to her palm, she felt nothing but heat run down her finger tips; she could no longer feel pain. Her mind had formulated a plan, it's own robotic mechanical way of blocking out the pain. Walking up to the couch, she looked at the child she had saved, the knife fell from her hand. She wasn't going to kill the child, she knew what she had to do. Kneeling down, she stroked Ava's face softly, the girl stirred but didn't wake up.

"Ava" Anya whispered, "It's time to wake up". The little girl's eyes flickered, she woke up with a shock. Forgetting what had happened, what her young eyes had seen, she sat bolt up right. "Hey, it's okay sweetie, It's me, Anya. Remember?".

Ava did remember. "Why is your hand bleeding?".

Anya looked at her hand, "I need you to do something for me, before I take you home. It's a special kind of promise; you can't tell anyone, okay?".

Nodding, the child looked wide eyed at her saviour. "What do I have to do?".

"I'm going to cut your hand, we're going to make a blood promise. It means that you can never tell anyone what I did to that man. Not your mommy, daddy, not the police, not anyone okay? They will say you can trust them, and it's okay to tell them, but it's not sweetheart".

Ava nodded again, she understood; Anya took the knife and ran the bloody blade across Ava's hand, and together, they held hands letting their blood seep through the skin and join together. They had a bond, a secret that no one should ever know. Ava pulled a face as pain struck her palm, but she had grown to admire Anya in the short time they had known. She had saved her.

"I promise, I will never tell anyone what you did for me. How you saved me. And if the police ask me or mom or dad tried to trick me, I will keep our secret". The young girl gave Anya's hand a little squeeze, the ease she felt with her hero took away from the pain in her hand.

* * *

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Doctor Laura Reading had been set in the one six, her desk tidy and organised. She was on top of everything she had to be, and was working closely with Olivia and Elliot on the case at hand. "Olivia, I've got my written report for you. Well, the house anyway. I'm going to see the body now".

Olivia smiled, it was nice having female company in the squad room; "Okay, give me a second and I'll come with you".

Within a minute, Laura and Olivia were heading to see the body of Alec Henderson. Olivia made small talk with her female companion, but dread had settled in both their stomachs. As they walked through the cold corridors, a chill shook Laura's spine. "I hate this part of the job, at least in the hospital, most of my patients left alive. Not in a body bag".

Olivia put her hand on Laura's shoulder, she smiled warmly, a reassurance poured from her, instantly making Laura feel better, "You're the best Laura. Just breathe through your mouth, you'll be fine".

Doctor Warner gave a weak welcome, "I've been expecting you. Cause of death was exsanguination". Warner gestured Olivia to come to her side, "You see that? Who ever attacked him was a lot smaller than he was".

"Is that a hand print?".

"I would say so, but it's small, not a child, but not male. Also, I have the DNA back from the saliva on her face, it was spittle. It's female DNA".

"It fits my theory, thanks" Olivia said completely engrossed with the markings on the body. "Laura, what do you think?".

Laura was busy looking at photos where the glass had empaled the man's torso. Taking a few minutes, she looked at the corpse that lay cold and pewter on the slab; "I think you're right Olivia. This is a very personal kill; well, it's overkill. This person was very passionate, but the passion was for the kill itself, not because she was some way romantically involved with him". Laura paused gathering her thoughts, "The glass to his heart, this one" she said pointing to the largest of all the stab wounds, "This wound is a lot messier, deeper if you will. She took the time to make sure it hurt a lot; and I'm guessing, the spittle on his face, was her shouting at him. It wouldn't surprise me, if she looked in to his eyes to watch the life literally leave his body".

"I hate these cases" Olivia sighed, "The victim becomes the suspect. All because one sadistic jerk decided to abuse her in the first place. She retaliates, and now she's going to go to jail".

"Liv, I think she took someone out of that house, I'm in two minds right now, because usually, someone who kills for revenge is one off killer. They are consumed by their regret, but at the same time, feel liberated. It's very possible that she has either killed the person she removed from that house, or she's keeping her safe. Her mind could be anywhere right now, this changes everything".

Olivia turned in shock, she hadn't considered someone being in the house when Anya had attacked Alec; but it made sense, there was no one else there, but she knew that predators who kept children captive, and replaced them, would already have a replacement before letting one child go. Her mind ran circles, "We need to find the other girls, we need to know if they're alive, or not".

Olivia almost sprinted back to the squad room with Laura a few paces behind; she got to her desk and rummaged for her phone. "Elliot" she called out, he looked up, "Have you got the photos of those girls?".

"Yeah, right here. Liv what you thinking?".

"Laura said there's a chance another girl was in that house when Alec was murdered. I need to know if there are any new photos". Olivia searched desperately through the data base of missing people. After three hours, the adrenalin had worn off, but the determination in her fed her hunger to get to the bottom of Alec and his house of horrors.

Three hours later, Olivia struck gold, "El, show me stream four". Elliot held up the string of photos that hand been contained in the evidence bag marked 'four'. "You think she's a match?" Olivia asked turning her screen around to face Elliot.

"Could be" Elliot looked closely, "Scar on the nose confirms it" he said pointing it out.

* * *

>"Aleena Beaumont, she was eight when she went missing, she was found seven years later walking the streets at four in the morning". Olivia sighed heavily, she was relieved Aleena was alive, but now she had to ask those questions. The questions that never want to be heard, or delivered.<p><p>

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Aleena Beaumont was a thin, sickly looking woman, she was twenty three now. Her hair was a tangled mess, pulled back in to a scruffy pony tail. Her nails were bitten down, revealing raw skin, her eyes had sunk, and bags hung tightly underneath them.

Aleena jumped as the heavy brass knocker clanked against the wooden door; her home was stately, she was clearly very wealthy. When she stood, she hunched slightly, pulling her large cardigan around her small frame. She leaked in a small amount of sunlight, she saw Olivia and Elliot looking back at her; "Who are you?" she demanded.

"Detective Benson and Stabler, Aleena, we need to talk to you".

"I don't want to talk to you" her words were crisp, harsh and cold, but fear and vulnerability clutched at them.

As the door began closing in their faces, Olivia held the door preventing it's closure. "Aleena please, we need to tell you something very important" Olivia paused as she caught the gaze of the red head. "He's dead. Alec Henderson is dead".

The door closed, Olivia barely had time to pull her hand out of the way, she looked at Elliot who was looking back at her. "She needs time to process Liv".

The door opened again, but this time it opened fully, Aleena had taken the chain off the door. She looked at the detectives with blurry eyes, tears sitting on the brim of her eyes, she blinked and they fell heavy. "How?".

"He was murdered, and we think it was another girl who he held captive" Olivia spoke softly, but she was here with intent.

"Come in" the redhead choked through her tears. She opened the door, and let them in, and abruptly closed it. She walked them through to the sitting room, curling her knees to her chest, she pulled the sleeves of her cardigan down to cover her hands.

"Aleena, I need to show you some photos, and I need you to tell me if you recognise any of them".

Aleena nodded; Olivia began laying out the photos on the table. Rearranging them, Aleena picked out three girls. She couldn't identify the last four. "This is Abigail, she was the first girl I met. She's three years older than me. That's Addison, she's a year older than me. She was kept in the backyard, in the bomb shelter underground. She was being punished. And that is Anya".

Olivia watched with an uneasy intent as Aleena pulled names from her memory; she shuffled on her seat as memories she had suppressed suddenly unleashed themselves. She twitched at the elbow, her eyes reddened and more tears threatened her cheeks. "Aleena, what can you tell me about Anya?".

Aleena's wolf like eyes shot to meet the gaze of Olivia's, looking deep within them, Olivia felt her soul was being analysed. Aleena's fearful appearance was swiftly and unexpectedly replaced by an animalistic creature. Her face hardened, her head twisted and tilted to the right as she sized Olivia up. "Anya was, the loner. She kept her head down, but she was the protector, when he came for us, she'd bite him, she scream at the top of her lungs, sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn't. But she'd always take a beating for any of us. She was our mother. It didn't matter that we were older".

Olivia's heart was slowly being etched away, she remembered seeing Anya's school photos, her bedroom, her smile. Olivia let the case go cold. Hearing what kind of person Anya had become, was making it even harder for her to want to hunt her down, to treat her like a suspect and potentially put her in jail. Anya had protected these girls, and possibly saved another, yet, Olivia knew she had to arrest her.

"She promised us, one day, that the light would win. I knew she wouldn't let us down".

"What do you mean? Let the light win?".

"He would always say to us, before he, he would always say, 'The night will always win', Anya always told us, once he had gone, that the day always proceeded the night, and that the light would chase away the darkness. I won't help you find her detectives. Please leave".

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Anya's cell phone rang, she listened to the caller who was crying frantically; "I made a promise. Enjoy the light, you deserve it" was her only response before she hung up.

Ava held Anya's hand tightly, she smiled at the sight of her family home; Anya turned to face her; "Remember, tell no one. It's our secret".

"I promise. You're my hero" Ava smiled and hugged her secret, "Thank you" she whispered.

Anya gave Ava a little push in the direction of her home, she watched as the girl descended on her path way, Anya turned and walked away. Not once would she look back. She had somewhere else to be right now. And that somewhere else, was with her sisters.


	4. SisterHood

Anya carried a broken heart, her sisters tearful voice ringing in her ears. The roads were quiet, rain tenderly splashed, coating the roads and sidewalks with a glossy blanket. The day was drawing to an end, and as the darkness approached, Anya's heart flourished in her accomplishment. She smiled gratefully up at the moon that had started grazing the night's sky. She stood for a minute letting her pride fill her up, she opened her eyes and felt the rain caress her skin. She took her cell phone from her pocket and looked at the time, she had somewhere to be.

Now wearing jeans, and a black tank top, Anya felt the cold whip her skin, lashing at her bare arms as they became slaves to the elements. Leaning against the cold brick work of an old factory, Anya waited for her sister. The rain steadied and then eased, Anya met her sister; she emerged from the shadows holding her coat tightly around her neck.

"Abi" Anya smiled, she opened her arms widely as Abigail Emerson embraced her. A connection was instantly established between them; Abigail's head fell on Anya's shoulder, tears formed abruptly in her eyes. The twenty six year old became feeble in Anya's arms, her knees became weak as her mind and body became elated.

"Anya, I've missed you so much".

"I missed you too" Anya spoke in to Abigail's ear; she pulled away from Abigail looking her in the eyes. "The darkness is over, I promise".

"Anya, the police. They went to Leena's house, today. I was there, I heard it all. They're looking for you, they know it's you".

Anya put both hands on Abigail's shoulders, she smiled softly at her; "They can't prove anything. And even if they do, I told you, I'd die to protect you and the others. You're my family".

"Anya, you kept us together, if you're gone, then what do we do?".

"You live. You live Abi with your freedom!".

Anya looked at her sister, her black hair long was matted, and needed brushing. Her skin was pale, giving her a snow white persona. The woman that stood before her, was broken. Abigail had grey eyes that seemed to sink with any mention of Anya leaving; they were glazed with a constant fear. Looking at her weak friend, she had no idea what to do.

* * *

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/

"Liv, I think I've made a connection between the girls, or at least, a minor one". Elliot picked up the 'jar of hearts' list he had in front of him and gave it to her. "All the names begin with the letter A. And check this out, I ran some information, every time Henderson opened up a new mechanics store, or auto shop, someone reported their daughter missing. I checked all the dates, and ran the names beginning with A, they all match".

Olivia looked at the sheet, "Anya, Aleena, Abigail and Addison". Olivia thought for a moment, "Aleena was found at four in the morning, in New York, seven years after she went missing. She said there were other girls in that house when she was there. She said Abigail was the first girl she met, and Addison was in the bomb shelter in the back yard. She also mentioned Anya; Anya would be seventeen now. Aleena met the girls older than her, and one girl younger than her before she was replaced".

Laura listened intently to everything that was being said, she was developing new theories, or attachments to the one Olivia had already formed.

"Anya would be the middle girl. She would have met the older girls, and the new arrivals" Olivia finished, her speech seemed rushed, the urgency in her gripped every fibre of her being as she began making small breakthroughs.

"I think you're right Olivia" Laura said clasping to all the new information. "Anya would have known all the girls; she would have had the time to build a resentment for him, and possibly formulated some sort of revenge plan to kill him. She knew the house, the layout, the garden and surrounding area. She's a very smart girl, I think you should give her credit for this, but be aware, that she won't go down peacefully, or without a fight".

"She built bonds with all the girls" Elliot said loud enough to be heard, but spoke for his own benefit.

"A bond in that sort of environment would be greater than bonds you or I would form. They fought for survival". Laura shrugged a little, "It wouldn't surprise me if they had stronger bonds than some married couples".

Munch strolled in to the one six with a careless effort on his face, his eyes glistened with a smug knowing, Olivia turned when Elliot's gaze left her.

"I've got something for you" he said, his voice as crisp as the night's breeze. A silence held the detectives with a hug of suspense.

"Go on" Elliot pushed.

"I know what triggered your murderer". Again the same silence. "Addison Dawson, twenty four hung herself last week".

"Aleena mentioned her, she was the girl in the bomb shelter" Olivia informed Laura and Munch.

"It's a trigger, but Aleena also said Anya promised them that the light would win".

Laura's attention suddenly landed heavily on Elliot, "What did you just say?".

"The light will win" He spoke now unsure of what she was reading in to.

"The light will win. Did she mention something about the darkness?".

"Yeah, Henderson would tell the girls, that the night will always win".

"Anya has taken back the power, that was her intention. It's like the chicken and the egg debate, what came first? People with sadistic or psychotic disposition will always say the night, or the darkness will always win, because for everyday, a night will proceed it; where as people with an optimistic, or survival instinct will always say, that the day will win, for every night, a day proceeds it". Laura paused trying to catch her breath after reeling her thoughts in to words. Olivia and Elliot understood exactly, and had seemingly managed to keep up with the doctor. "If she held her own for such a long time, and didn't let his words break her, then she would have taken back the darkness, by killing him".

"Could Addison's death be the trigger?" Olivia asked.

"It could be, but she planned this for a very long time. Addison's death may have triggered her to commit the murder before she was ready; but she had the knowledge and mindset to kill. That takes careful planning, and confidence. The death would have shaken her, she wouldn't, in my opinion , had the time to plan as well as she did in just a few days".

Olivia nodded, "When we went to the cottage, some of the floorboards were loose and creaked under our feet, he'd have heard her".

"I need food" Munch said, his voice breaking everyone's concentration. Olivia, Elliot and Laura looked at him, with collective smiles. "What? You've got a creaky floorboard avoiding ninja to find. I've got a bagel with my name on it".

Olivia smirked at Munch, he always managed to uplift any situation, no matter how bad it was. "El, I'm going to go and see Addison's apartment. You want to take Fin to the bomb shelter?".

Elliot gave a nod and phoned Fin, Olivia looked at Laura and smiled, "Road trip?".

* * *

><p><p>

/

Addison Dawson's apartment was small, but welcoming. Her furniture was modern, with a vintage twang. Photos were tacked on to the walls, smiling faces painted a picture of happiness that hid the truth. Olivia entered first, she saw the white couch, it looked new. She saw the fire place with half burnt logs sitting in it. The large flat screen television sat royally on the wall over looking the whole living room. "Nice place, she must have got a job when she was set free" Olivia paused, "Laura, why do you think he set them free?" Olivia's voice was nervous, yet needing, she had to know.

Laura observed the home, reading every detail. She saw how tidy the house was, how beautiful the photos were; she stared at them for a while before speaking. "The pain lasts longer, if you're alive to feel it".

Olivia knew the answer to her question, but like most who seek advice, she needed clarification; she had to here the answer from someone else to fully believe it. Seeing Laura at the photos, she joined her at the wall in the adjoining kitchen, a cork board was drowning with notes and photos, that spilled over on to the wall. "That's Aleena!" Olivia said, half shocked, half happy the girls had stuck together once out of their own personal hell.

"Addison was methodical" Laura said pulling a photo of a group of four girls off the wall, she turned it over, "She wrote on the back, from left to right, Addison, Aleena, Abigail and Anya".

"They look so happy" Olivia almost whispered.

"That's the day Anya was released".

Olivia continued to look around the apartment, she made her way to the bedroom, the bed was perfectly made, the closet was neat; the shoes were lined up perfectly and in colour order. Pulling open the drawer in the bedside table, Olivia spotted a diary, and poking out the top of it was a note. A suicide note.

* * *

><p><p>

/

At the precinct, Laura was working hard, reading and denoting the suicide note Addison had written. She looked at Olivia, and she too wondered why Aleena hadn't mentioned her friend's death. She either didn't know herself, which was unlikely. Or, she didn't want the detectives to know.

_To my dearest sisters,_

_The day I was taken from my family was the day I found new family, a family of sisters who I love so dearly. I am so sorry I can not be as strong as you have been, my heart will never mend. I look in the mirror and I don't see myself, I see what he made me. I hear his words haunting me, he's in my head, in my blood, he still has a hold over me that I can't shake. _

_I am so thankful to you, Leena, Abi, and Anya. You loved me, took care of me, protected me and kept me feeling human when he tried to steal that from me. But now I see you, our sisterhood still strong, but without you in my life daily, I can't bare this torture. I need to feel safe again, I need to breath and thrive in God's love. I can't do that here. _

_This is all too much for me. But please know, I love you all so, so much. Please don't hate me for wanting peace. My light will guide you from a better place. _

_My love to you always,_

_Addi xoxo_

"Laura, you got anything from that yet?".

Laura had been underlining, highlighting and writing all over a copy of the original note. "Addison was the weaker of the girls. She let the darkness swallow her, she talks about not being able to let go, she says her life was torture, and without the other girls, she couldn't cope". Laura paused, she looked back at the note, the frustration and overwhelming sense of pain the letter radiated swamped her, "She lost her battle to the darkness, and pleads with the other girls not to hate her for it. I think Addison was fighting two battles, she felt she had to fight Henderson and his darkness, but she was fighting the girls, she was trying to stay strong, to keep their sisterhood strong, but she couldn't".

/

The pain of Addison's death was still raw, Anya had grown close to her quickly, and often protected her. She felt the pain rip through her body, she blinked through her tears, the rain disguising them. She couldn't let Abi see her crying, she was the strong one, she had to remember that.

"Abi, what detectives went to see Leena? What were their names?".

"Benson, Benson and Stabler" Abi sniffed, "Benson is a woman, Stabler is a man. They're from the special victim's unit. Anya, what did you do to him?".

"Abi, you don't want to know, but I made him pay, I promise you, he felt ever inch of pain we did".

Abi forced a smile, "Please don't disappear again Anya".

"Is your phone registered to you?".

"No, Anya what's going on?".

"Make sure Leena doesn't call me from her house phone, they'll track my number. I need you to act like you haven't seen me, and if they come to you, you tell them you've not seen me since the day I was let out. We went for a meal, and that was it, we've had no contact" Anya looked at Abi and held her hand, "Promise me Abs, I know it's hard, but I'm here. I have to stay out of sight".

"I promise".


	5. The Devil's minions

"Good news," Munch said walking in to the one six, his face creasing with his smile. "Ava Alexander was reported missing by her parents a couple days ago, she was returned home yesterday. Escaped with one cut to the hand."

Olivia smiled with relief, her eyes were puffy, it was evident she hadn't been sleeping well. "Has she talked yet?"

"No, her parents tried to get a name from her, whether it was a man or woman who took her, but she wouldn't say."

"I'm going to talk to her, maybe she'll open up to me."

* * *

><p><p>

/

Anya looked at herself in the mirror, her skin was paler than usual, her lips had adopted a deathly blue colour. She knew she was being hunted again. Knowing she had acted upon her promise, she planned to leave the city, but one thing was stopping her. Her sisters.

She looked down at her hand as she bathed her palm; the scar was a constant reminder, that the day she had taken a life, she had also saved one. It eased her emotional pain to an extent, but nothing would change what she had done. Sighing heavily, Anya dried her hand; she was a hero to young girls everywhere. But in the eyes of the law, she was a murderer. A dangerous, destructive, life stealing, cold blooded murderer. Her head spun as she tried to comprehend what had really happened, thinking about that night, that man, the torture. It all became too much for her, she fell to the floor clutching at her head.

* * *

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/

Olivia, Elliot and Laura made their way to Ava's family home. They walked up the small pathway, the garden was neat, the lawn was cut and well kept. Tulips grew in small flower beds under the windows, whilst daisies grew in their clusters along the pathway. Elliot knocked on the door using the brass knocker. They all waited patiently for someone to answer the door; twenty seconds later, a woman opened the door, her face had a pain stricken look on it, whilst relief sat in her eyes.

"Can I help you?" She asked looking at the three strangers on her door step.

"Mrs Alexander?" The woman gave a nod of conformation, "I'm detective Stabler, this is detective Benson, and Criminal Psychologist, Doctor Laura Reading. We're here to talk to Ava."

The woman's memory jogged, she remembered the phone call they had shared earlier that day. "Please, come in. She's in the living room."

Olivia looked at Elliot, "I'll talk to Ava, I want Laura to listen in, you want to take the parents?"

Elliot nodded, "Sure."

Olivia and Laura walked in the living room seeing the small girl sitting colouring in. Her right hand moving quickly but neatly as she stayed in the lines. She didn't look up, she barely flinched.

"Ava," Olivia spoke softly, she sat down on the floor with Ava and admired her drawings, "Did you do all of these?"

Ava looked at her. "I knew you were coming."

Olivia shared a confused look with Laura, concern filled her eyes as did curiosity. "How did you know that sweetheart?"

"I'm not telling you anything. I made a promise. I keep my promises."

"I understand, but Ava, I need your help. See, the girl who saved you, is in trouble, I want to help her." Olivia lied, she knew she had to find Anya, but she hated turning the victim in to the prime suspect.

Ava shook her head in a childish manner, "Nope. Not helping you do anything."

Olivia looked at the pictures and drawings on the coffee table, she picked a few up and looked longingly at them. Then something clicked, Ava was drawing Anya. "Ava, how did you cut your hand?"

The girl didn't answer.

"Ava, did you and Anya both cut your hands together?" Olivia stood up, she was getting nowhere. She handed some drawings to Laura, she studied them. She agreed the girl in the drawing could be Anya, and if they had made a blood bond, then they both knew this stubborn, loyal little girl wasn't going to talk.

Olivia and Laura made their way outside to the car, they waited for Elliot, hoping he was having more luck than they had. Olivia looked at Laura, she had very few thoughts in her own head, and looked to Laura for some enlightenment. "What do you make of her?"

"She's drawing Anya and her, she drew them together, holding hands. I'd say she's trying to run away from the truth and events that took place."

Olivia sighed, "I'm not sure that's the case, running away from the truth is hiding; she's not hiding as such, she's blankly refusing to talk to us." Olivia paused, "She said she knew we were coming, Anya told her not to talk to us, she's keeping a secret, because she promised. At her age, promises mean everything."

Laura agreed, she was about to speak when Elliot appeared at the front door thanking Mrs Alexander for her help. "Anya was smart, they have security cameras on their property, she avoided all of them."

* * *

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/

Picking herself up, Anya's head was a tangled mess. She couldn't place one thought, this was a race nothing was winning, but everything was fighting for. Feeling her head spin, she decided to go back, she had to go back to where it all began. She had to confront her demons, because confronting the devil left her empty. His minions were carrying on his dirty work from beyond the grave.

Anya walked the two blocks to the empty Henderson house, the scenery changed dramatically. Dirty grey buildings became beautiful tall trees, apartment blocks became quaint homes with beautiful flowers. Anya didn't see beauty, she saw rage. Flashbacks gripped her mind, taking control of her body. She looked out of place, she wasn't a house wife dressed in beautiful designer clothes, she was a skinny, angry faced teen. As the pain of the flashbacks whipped at her head, images began launching themselves at her, she fought with all her might, but it was no use, she let out a scream. The peaceful neighbourhood echoed her pain and torment, bouncing off the flawless homes right back at her. Nosey women with little to do with their days other than look glamorous peered out their windows, all wanting to know everything there was to know, then spin it at their next dinner party. Anya was breaking, she was cracking under the pressure of Henderson. And the worst part, he wasn't even here doing it.

Anya dug her nails deep in to her scalp wishing him away, begging with him. He wouldn't leave. His ghostly presence in her head laughed, he mocked her. The housewives hid behind their drapes, and then disappeared as Anya found the strength to move; like learning to walk, she stumbled, putting one foot in front of the other. She had to face that house.

* * *

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/

"Olivia, there's a report out, a young white female, matching Anya's description hanging around two streets away from the Henderson house."

"You sure it's her?"

"A young white female, skinny, dark hair. Reported because she broke down in the street screaming."

Olivia thought for a moment, it could only be Anya. Feeling a jolt of emotional upset, Olivia stood up, picked her jacket up, and left with Elliot, Fin and Laura.

As Elliot drove to the misleading cottage, Olivia felt sick with fear. Laura had told her that Anya wouldn't go down without a fight. She had already killed once, would she kill again? Olivia's thought process took one lasting step; could Olivia put a bullet in a girl, a teenager? Not just a teenager, but one who had been through so much, protected so many, and saved another. She questioned herself the whole time; right until they pulled up to the house. All seemed quiet, there was no movement to be seen or heard around the house. Olivia, Elliot and Fin pulled their guns, they gave hand signals indicating who would go to the back of the house, they began moving when Laura called out.

"Wait. There's someone there." Laura pointed up to the bedroom window, a young female stood teary eyed looking down at the detectives. Her fear was no more, she had broken the glass, shards fell from the frame, hitting the floor and demising further. A soft breeze caught the worn out fabric that was at one point a set of curtains, the girls hair blew in the wind, she looked at the detectives, she gave a smile, but it was not to be taken lightly. She pulled her body up with all her strength and sat on the edge of the window frame, she rested her feet on the old wooden flower box. It wasn't Anya.

Laura hadn't been in a situation like this before, she had seen the worst of the worst when it came to medical accidents, and she had met the worst criminals, with the sickest minds, but she had never seen, nor wanted to see someone fall to their death.

"Don't come in here!" the girl yelled.

Olivia's heart strings had almost broken from the amount of fear she had been feeling. "Abigail, it's okay."

"How do you know my name?" she shouted back, her voice quivered.

"You were friends with Anya," Olivia began.

"I still am friends with Anya, and if you stopped chasing her, I'd still be her sister."

"We're not chasing her Abigail, we need to find her, because we need to help her."

"Don't lie to me!" Abigail's anger set in with a deep uncertainty. A shard of glass impaled Abigail's leg, she choked in pain as the glass ripped her fragile skin.

Olivia looked up, she was in pursuit of giving aid, when Abigail shouted at her not to move. "You need help, you're bleeding."

"You want to help me? Stop chasing Anya! She didn't do anything. I killed him."

"Abigail," Elliot shouted, "We know Anya killed Alec. We know Addison killed herself, and we're not going to let you do the same."

Abigail's gaze grazed over Elliot, and landed on Laura. She noted the woman's silence. Laura felt the intense eyes on her, she felt obliged to talk. "Abigail, my name's Laura. I'm not a detective, I'm a criminal psychologist. I want to help you. Talk to me."

Laura's voice was pleading in Abigail's head. She looked at her, "You come in, but only you. If any of them come in, then I'll let go."

Olivia grabbed Laura's arm, "You don't have to do this."

"I do." Laura released her arm, and gave a small smile at Olivia, she mouthed 'I'll be fine' and entered the house. Olivia kept her eyes on the window, and the girl who sat in it. Olivia watched as Abigail closed her eyes, her head turned and her face scrunched up as Laura stepped on the creaky floorboards. Laura entered the room, the creak of the door was loud, Laura closed it, before she could take a step, Abigail spoke. "Don't, come any closer."

"Okay," Laura said, she took a deep breath; "Abigail, I know what's happened to you. I'm not hunting Anya, I know she saved you."

Abigail kept her eyes on the detectives below, the blood from her leg was seeping in to the flower box and dripping to the ground below. "You know everything he did to me? You're not hunting her, but it's your incentive to help find her. That's why you're here, because they think you can help them."

"You're right, but I know your head and heart are hurting, because they're trying to take Anya away from you, when you want to have her close."

Abigail pulled her leg from the glass, her body numb by the thoughts in her head. She rested her bleeding leg slightly to the side of the glass; "You have got one thing right, but you came here looking for her, because you wanted to arrest her."

"Abigail, I know why he chose you."

This was news to Abigail, and if the detectives heard, it would have been news to them too. "Why." Abigail's voice was once again shaking.

"His mother, Audrey. She would abuse him, the same way he abused you. When he grew up, he felt he needed to take back the power his mother took from him. All those years he felt powerless and insignificant, he wanted to be the one taking it. He needed to know what it was like to be powerful."

Abigail sniffed as she fought the urge to cry; "Audrey," she whispered, "Alec. That's why he chose me, because my name began with an A."

"Yes. His family tree is occupied with people whose names begin with 'A'." Laura paused hoping the realisation was setting in. "Abigail, if you jump, he will have won, and everything you suffered for, will be worthless. All that fighting you did, everything Anya did for you will be wasted."

Abigail listened, she looked at Olivia who held hope in her eyes; for the first time, she turned to Laura, "I'm going to keep fighting." Laura watched as Abigail stood up in the window frame to turn and come back through. She walked two steps, but Abigail barked at her not to move. A slow, deep creak set in, it echoed in Abigail's ears, she turned quickly to see if all three detectives were still outside, as she did, the wooden flower box gave way under her feet and crashed as it hit the floor. Abigail lost her balance, her body fell but something caught her, she hung for a second; Laura ran to her, she saw the blood bubbling at the creases of Abigail's mouth, she saw the sheer shock revel in the girl's eyes. She had impaled herself on the broken glass, she hung for a second more, before her skin ripped letting gravity plummet her body to the grass below.

Olivia ran to Abigail's body, her throat ripped up to her chin, the mass of blood was less haunting than her wide, cold, soulless eyes.

Laura felt her heart sink, she had come so close, Abigail wanted to live, and in a twisted turn of fate, she was denied. Laura held her tears together as she looked at Olivia who sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. Laura turned around and let the tears fall from her eyes; the cold, helpless, fear that Abigail generated from her eyes alone had burned an ever lasting image in her mind.

Laura returned to Olivia's side, and was welcomed by a cuddle. Still the tears leaked out of Laura's eyes. She couldn't look at Abigail; she had seen many bodies on morgue slabs, and in hospital beds, but this was different. Laura's attention was suddenly lifted as she saw a brunette female standing 10 feet away. "Olivia, turn around."

Olivia drew her gun the moment she turned around, Anya was staring her directly in the eyes, a gun at her side clenched in her right hand. "Anya, drop the gun." Olivia shouted. The girl's expression was hard, cold and fearless, but she had seen the body, she had seen her sister die, and no one had even seen her.

"Detective Benson, I won't do that."

Elliot and Fin took aim, Laura backed away slowly, being unarmed she slipped herself behind the parked car. "Anya, you need to drop the gun. I will shoot you."

"Do it." Anya screamed, "You just killed a part of me." Olivia didn't need Laura to tell her Anya was becoming irrational, and more dangerous in turn.

"Anya, I know. I know about Alec, you told me. I've seen the photos, I've seen the bedroom. I know what he did to you."

"You have no idea what he did to me, what he did to my sisters! You're hunting me, just like he hunted me. You want to take me to jail, I'll become another story in the papers, just another damn statistic. I mean nothing to you!"

"That's not true." Before Olivia could speak again, Anya cut in.

"You'll come and visit me? Send me letters and updates on my sisters? Didn't think so." Anya raised the gun so quickly none of the detectives had time to react, she placed it under her chin. "I've already escaped one prison. I won't let you put me in another one." Anya took a quick shot in to the detectives, aiming at no one in particular. Two gun shots followed. One from Elliot's gun, one from Fin's. Olivia ran to Anya, her body laying, slightly palpitating as the blood escaped the prison that was her body. "Blanks detective."

Olivia put pressure on the bullet wounds, but it was too late. Anya was dead.

Olivia felt a hand on her shoulder, her partner looked at her sympathetically, "You can't save everyone all the time Liv."

"I know," she sighed, "Fin, look at her gun, the bullets."

Fin did so, he looked at them carefully, before reporting, "Blanks."

Olivia ran her fingers through her hair, her palm grazing her forehead, "She told me, the last thing she said Elliot, was 'Blanks detective'." Olivia looked at Anya, then to Abigail, "How did this happen? Anya kills Alec, just to die herself. She saved God only knows how many little girls from the same torture, but she's the bad guy."

Fin backed up in shock, "There was a body there right?" Olivia and Elliot turned to where Abigail's body had previously laid.

"What the hell?" Elliot asked completely confused.

All three detectives looked back to Anya's body. It was still there. A heave of noise came from the near by bushes, all three detectives pulled their guns out again. They approached with caution not knowing what to expect. Elliot lurched forward, a fox hissed at him, it's foot caught in a trap. Luck would be the best distraction. Whilst Elliot and Fin tried to free the fox, Laura and Olivia walked back the twenty foot distance. "Elliot, Fin." Olivia shouted. Both men came running from the trees and secluded brush area. Anya's body, was gone.

Laura turned back to face the house, loud smashing sounds came from every window in the house. And there, standing in the frame of each window was a woman. Aleena stood in the top window where Abigail had fallen, a red headed woman looked out from the window beneath hers. The top right window was occupied by a blonde, and the bottom right window was occupied by an older looking woman, with black hair.

Before the detectives could take in everyone in the house, an explosion ripped the cottage from it's foundation, debris spat out across the drive way. Olivia, Elliot, Laura and Fin were all knocked to the ground. The thatched roof stayed alight where it landed in it's clumps, but everyone inside was dead.

* * *

><p><p>

/

Olivia stood at the grave side of Anya, her heart numbing thoughts in her mind. Everything meant nothing, nothing had significance, yet Anya meant significantly a lot. She knelt down laying flowers on the small platform on the gravestone. "This is for you Anya. The world knows you're a hero."

'**New York Times**

**Alec Henderson kidnapped and raped at least twelve young girls**

Hero girl saved us all.**'**


End file.
